ZimTrade holds export awareness seminar for paprika farmers

Business ReporterThe national trade and export promotion body, ZimTrade, will today conduct an export awareness seminar for Nyanga paprika farmers. The training will impart requisite knowledge on export development and promotion, beneficiation opportunities as well as branding streams for paprika.

Over 25 members of the Nyanga Paprika Growers’ Association are expected to attend.

The Association is involved in the marketing of paprika grown in and around the Nyanga communal areas.

According to Trade Map, the international market for paprika has been on an upward trend as indicated by world imports, which grew in value and quantity by 20 percent and 5 percent respectively, between 2010 and 2014. Zimbabwe exported paprika worth $574 000 in 2014, against the world’s exported value of $533 million, representing just 0,1 percent of the total world exports.

This presents a huge potential for Zimbabwe paprika producers and exporters.

In 2014, the top importers of paprika included; US, UK, Japan, Netherlands and France, whereas the major sources were Vietnam and India.

Local paprika growers are urged to practise world standards in order to produce quality products, if they are to realise high returns on the international market.

For detailed information on potential buyers, requirements, tariffs levied by each market as well as non-tariff requirements (eg packaging and labelling), producers are urged to use the Online Market Access Tools such as the Trade Map, Market Access Map and the Standards Map.